Friday Update on Veterans Day- November 11, 2016

Nov 16

-

First, gratitude and appreciation to all of our Veterans! Freedom around the world is because of your service to the world! Our nation is the leader of a free world, and it is because of those who have served and sacrificed! Thank you!

For those outside City Hall, I thought I would share the notes from our management staff meeting which consists of all City Department and Division Heads. A little insight into things going on in each Department.

· Met with Align Capital on Monday re: Workforce Development. Working with SCC President Celia Esposito-Noy and WHS Principal Nicole Reyherme on employer job spreadsheets as an organizational tool to identify positions available. Also looking at apprenticeships with businesses. Over 100 jobs will be available once the downtown hotel is completed (Buckhorn & hotel)

· Dan & John gave a Blue Mountain Terrace presentation to the Winters Senior Foundation yesterday, resulting in some minor changes.

· Received information for FEMA’s ICS-400 Advance Command & Complex Incidents Training with Yolo County on March 29-30, 2017. Will contact YEMSA to sign up (due by 1/27/17)

· Processing future reserve to serve in the DA’s High Tech Crime Unit.

Fire:

· Putting together a regional, multi-agency swift water and creek rescue training exercise for this winter.

· Annual Shrimp Feed on Saturday (cocktails @ 5pm, dinner @ 6pm)

City Attorney:

· Draft marijuana ordinance has gone to the City Manager, Police Chief and Planning Department, which addresses commercial marijuana activities in addition to outdoor grows. City of Davis currently has a moratorium in order to figure it out, but are taxing it.

· Working with Alan on the speed limits, which aren’t an issue right now. When speed surveys are completed in a couple of years, we will look at it again.

· Development Agreement for Dry Creek/Catholic Church property in Planning for review and to the developer.

· Measure D passed with 70% of the vote. School district should start moving on the first phase of the plan. No CEQA has been completed yet and City will offer assistance where needed.

· Staff Pie Making Exercise: Wednesday, November 23rd @ 3pm at the Fire Station kitchen.

· Holiday Breakfast on Thursday, December 22nd

Notes on the election:

· The passage of Measure D for the Winters JUSD is a big deal for the community! The investment of almost $32 million from Measures D and R will be significant.

· The passage of Proposition 57 will ultimately see 16,000 people previously in prison released and on the streets of California. It’s tough to do time in prison now and police will become the social and mental health workers of the world now. Its amazing that raping an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon, hostage taking and domestic violence and hate crimes are considered “non’violent” and are not crimes which would keep someone in prison.

· Possession of heroin, date rape drugs, methamphetamine and cocaine are now misdemeanors! Things which were once crimes are not considered such anymore and will have a significant impact on the culture of California. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

· The passage of Proposition 64 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana will put most of the issues related to marijuana to bed in relation to use and possession. In Winters, the issues will surround outdoor cultivation which we will address through the nuisance ordinance (there is a reason why they call it skunk weed!)

· The election of Bill Dodd to the State Senate will enable the City to continue what has been a solid relationship with someone who has been helping the City on a number of key legislative issues.

Finally, the election of Cecilia Aguiar Curry to the Assembly is not only good for Winters, but really important for the State of California. As Mayor and City Councilmember, Cecilia has shown how she is an extremely effective leader who will represent many constituent bases in the District and people throughout California. She is bright, charismatic and someone who works for what is the best solution on critical issues. The State Legislature can use the pragmatism which Cecilia will bring. In an era where partisanship has made the public cynical about the political process, there is no doubt that Cecilia will transcend party politics to do what is best for all Californians, which will be refreshing.

There are a lot of mixed emotions in losing someone of Cecilia’s caliber to a higher office, but all of us need to rejoice and show pride that the values which come from someone from Winters will now have influence in Sacramento. We need to be proud that a Winters High grad will bring small town influence to the leadership of the greatest state in our union. Cecilia always stressed “getting Winters at the table”. If there is anyone who can get and keep California at the Federal table, it will be her!

Cecilia’s last City Council Meeting will be on December 5. Not a time to be sad in losing an incredible Mayor, but a time to celebrate someone moving on to do incredible things on a bigger stage!